Abhomeron Abynzohar & Colliget Auerroys (Medical Compendium)

...of the same in the same place: and from this a spasm is generated. And if you are diligent at the beginning in the cure of the said puncture of the nerve, the spasm will be annihilated so that it will not occur.

Chapter VI. Which is concerning the cure of the puncture of a nerve.

And this illness is indeed cured with things hot and dry by their own temperament, and possessing a subtle substance, such as sulfur and euphorbium. And I have already cured some cases of puncture by placing sulfur upon them; and the patient was cured immediately. And you should know that when moisture is infused in a small quantity, which is of great quality, that is, of potential humidity, then a spasm is not produced; but rather a relaxation or a species of it arises, because the nerve can sustain this quality, namely humidity, with greater difficulty than other qualities. And a general spasm is from the root of all things, namely from the brain; and a particular one is that which is produced in particular members. And since I have already sufficiently recorded the information concerning spasm, I now wish to make a record concerning epilepsy.

Chapter VII. Which is concerning epilepsy proceeding from the brain.

Epilepsy is indeed produced when a gross humor is diffused and scattered in the canals and passages of the brain; and a gross humor cannot exist unless it be phlegm or melancholy. And when the aforementioned humor obstructs the canals or passages of the brain, then the brain contracts so that it may expel the harm from itself, and thence follows the shaking of the whole body, and all the limbs tremble, and there occurs in it a groaning and roaring on account of the relaxation and weakness of the voluntary motive faculty; nor does the chest dilate and move in the usual manner. And there happens to the same a disturbance of the mind with a diminution and annihilation of the breath, to such an extent that he seems as if he were suffocated. And when he attempts to draw in air, he does that with violent and strong impetuosity so that he may restore what has been lost; and he does that by snoring on account of the weight and heaviness of the brain being compressed by the foreign and gross humor, thus it is produced in a deep sound; and while that humor is dissolved, the spasm separates. And this illness is diversified according to the diversity of the thickness of the humor and its subtlety. And this illness does not arise only from a humor obstructing the ventricles, but also from a vapor and fumosity ascending to the brain, resolved from some foreign and horrible humor of the body. And in this illness, paroxysms occur just as they are wont to occur in fevers from the operation and power of the supercelestial bodies. Which bodies, indeed, are known most certainly and are proven to have and to receive perfection and influence from the living and true God. And that which the moon works upon inferior bodies that stand below the globe of the moon is seen to be not insignificant. Is this not manifest in cucumbers and gourds, to such an extent that it is known most certainly and recognized even by common, worldly people? And thus it is and works also in all other inferior things of this world, though one may not know it so certainly. And does not the crisis follow the motion of the moon, and is it not produced from the same? In the same way, we say that the species of epilepsy are produced and run according to the motion and course of the same. And know that epilepsy which occurs in old age is found to be very difficult to cure. And that which happens in sleep and occurs while sleeping from a slight cause, for this reason its cure is proven to be likewise easy. We say that the cure for these two species is one and the same, except in that they are diversified in strength and duration. And the beginning of the cure for these is to rectify their regimen, giving them small chickens, because we say they are absolutely more laudable than other meats, and clean and well-leavened bread, giving them to drink every morning a decoction of lily root, and maidenhair fern, and zedoary root, adding to the same decoction, after it has been strained, honey in such quantity that it can remove the bitterness and the bad taste of the same. And this medicine in this case is most excellent, purging them with the same, time after time, as many times as it shall seem to you to be appropriate, adding to it those things which have the virtue to deposit the medicine itself into the head, removing from this all sluggishness. R[ecipe]: aloes, best and perfect agaric, clean turbith, zedoary, that is, polypody, fresh and of medium thickness, epi-

thyme of Crete, of each 1 aurei, that is, lapis lazuli, and juice of licorice, which in Arabic is called robtaffus, zedoary, that is, violets, common salt, of each 4 parts, 1 aurei, that is, of the inner part of colocynth, and stoechas, of each 4 parts, 1 aurei. Let the colocynth be cut finely, and let the other medicines be ground. And let all the medicines, except the colocynth, be infused in water in which the bark or scales of copper, which in Arabic are called tubelhagonag, have been washed, with as much juice of sweet apples. And place it in the sun, and when they have been dried, let them be infused again as before, and dried, and then take the aforementioned colocynth, to which you shall add 1 aurei of sweet almonds ground with the fourth part of an aurei of tragacanth powder, and mix with the aforementioned. And the dose of this medicine is 5 aurei in weight, with whey, or with water tempered with a tenth part of its own [syrup/honey], and boiled up to the thickness of honey. And if he is not purged sufficiently with this dose, you shall add in the following dose a quantity as it shall seem to you to be appropriate, considering the time, age, and temperament of the recipient, dieting with him and rectifying his food as it shall seem to you to be appropriate; and you shall purge him many times with the said medicine, since this most vile and horrible humor is not removed in one time. And hang a peony root at his neck. And an emerald, as h. s. n. hnt qz is likewise proven to have a great effect. And I have already recorded for you that this humor, from which the illness is stirred up, cannot be anything but phlegm or melancholy. But from which of these this illness has arisen, you will know by its specific signs, namely, because if the age of the infirm person is old age, it is a sign of an abundance of melancholy. And if it is decrepitude, of phlegm. And likewise you should look at the person of the patient, considering first his color, because if he is of a black color and his hair is likewise black, they attest to an overabundance of melancholy; and smoothness with softness of the flesh [attests to] an overabundance of phlegm. And again, labor and exercise and paucity of eating signify an abundance of melancholy, just as delicacies and rest and idleness attest to an overabundance of phlegm. And you ought to know that the medicines which properly have the power to draw and purge melancholy are these: namely, epithyme, lapis lazuli, black hellebore, and polypody. And those which naturally have the power to draw and purge phlegm are the interior parts of colocynth, agaric, bdellium, and nettle seed. And aloes also purges and expels that phlegm which it finds before itself to be; and when phlegm is very gross, then it is assimilated to melancholy. Wherefore, if you mix the said medicines in their laxatives, it will be excellent. And it is appropriate to mix them before you perform the purgation. And it is not sufficient to mix them dry, unless you mix them with some fluid and moist or soft thing which collects their virtues in itself while remaining in the same for an entire day, to the end that their virtues may be able to penetrate themselves and ferment within themselves most excellently; and afterwards dry them in the sun, and finally use them as is fitting. But if epilepsy seizes him while awake, then its cure is ungrateful and very difficult, and its paroxysms are very long, and a cure is impossible, and especially regarding the senses. And the aforementioned cure alleviates the illness and diminishes the paroxysms with the help of God.

Chapter VIII. Which is concerning epilepsy proceeding from the connection of other members with the brain.

Epilepsy also occurs in the brain from the connection of certain diseased members of the body to the brain, because paths and canals exist from them to the brain, whence fumosities and vapors resolved from evil and horrible humors can ascend to it. And when they ascend to it, they cause to the animal spirit by these vapors that which happens to the light of the sun from fumosities and vapors, and they destroy the complexion of the brain, altering the animal complexion. And the brain contracts so that it can expel from itself the harm coming to it from the bad complexion and the corruption of the fumosities and vapors; and thence is produced a spasm, which is named epilepsy. Wherefore, if you have known that the aforementioned illness proceeds from a hand or a foot, then you ought to bind the said member, tightening it strongly before the arrival of the paroxysm, because from this the accidents are reduced most strongly, always studying to purge the body as we have said, and rectifying their regimen as we have ordained. And it is also useful to alter...